In a recent celebration of cinematic nostalgia, the Hindi film industry commemorated the 25th anniversary of ‘Sarfarosh’, a film that profoundly influenced the trajectory of Bollywood. Sonali Bendre, the actress who played a pivotal role in the movie, has been lavished with praise for her performance in ‘The Broken News’, a current streaming series sensation. However, her reflections on ‘Sarfarosh’ and her diverse career across regional cinemas in India have generated a buzz among cinema enthusiasts.
Accomplished in her work not only in Hindi but also in Tamil, Marathi, Kannada, and Telugu cinema, Bendre observed that language posed a formidable challenge while she navigated these varied industries. In a candid conversation with the IANS, she recalled her longing for better communication with the film crews during those days.
Reminiscing about the 90s, she remarked, “We didn’t say pan-India in the 1990s, we just did different cinema from across states.” She fondly remembered her Marathi film ‘Anahat’ as a fabulous story and the Tamil film she worked in as a pioneering love story set in the age of internet cafés. Bendre took particular joy in her work within the Telugu film industry, where she found the people gentle and the experience enriching.
Bendre’s innate talent allowed her to transcend linguistic barriers and connect with her audience through the universal language of performance. Yet, she couldn’t help but feel that her inability to speak the regional languages fluently made her job four times more demanding than when she was working in Hindi cinema.
It was her role in ‘Sarfarosh’ opposite Bollywood titan Aamir Khan that became a landmark in her career and a game-changer in Hindi cinema. The film’s unparalleled storytelling and memorable cast set a new benchmark for the industry. “There were times when we felt like, ‘Are we shooting a documentary or what?’. But, it was the music and the dynamics between my and Aamir Khan’s characters in the film that cemented our belief that we are making a commercial Bollywood film,” Bendre shared, reflecting on the making of ‘Sarfarosh’. Working with Aamir Khan, known for his commitment to perfection, was an enlightening experience for her, broadening her understanding of the film-making craft.
Bendre underlined the significance of ‘Sarfarosh’ in setting a precedent for future cinema, stating, “‘Sarfarosh’ stands as a film that changed the course of cinema in terms of how films are made and the stories are told on the celluloid.”
As we look back on the rich and versatile career of Sonali Bendre and the enduring legacy of ‘Sarfarosh’, it’s evident that both have carved out a distinctive place in the history of Indian cinema. Her insight into the challenges and triumphs of working across India’s diverse film industries is not just a story of an actress’s journey but a reflection on the evolving nature of cinema itself. As ‘Sarfarosh’ continues to be celebrated, we are reminded that stories well told, regardless of the language, have the power to resonate and redefine an art form.
